Racial and Ethnic Representation in Literature Taught in US High Schools

Abstract

We quantify the representation, or presence, of characters of color in English Language Arts (ELA) instruction in the United States to better understand possible racial/ethnic emphases and gaps in literary curricula. We contribute two datasets: the first consists of books listed in widely-adopted Advanced Placement (AP) Literature & Composition exams, and the second is a set of books taught by teachers surveyed from schools with substantial Black and Hispanic student populations. In addition to these book lists, we provide an unprecedented collection of hand-annotated sociodemographic labels of not only literary authors, but also their characters. We use computational methods to measure all main characters’ presence through three distinct and nuanced metrics: frequency, narrative perspective, and burstiness. Our annotations and measurements show that the sociodemographic composition of characters in books recommended by AP Literature has not shifted much for over twenty years. As a case study of how ELA curricula may deviate from the curricula prescribed by AP, our teacher-provided sample shows a greater emphasis on books featuring first-person, primary characters of color. We also find that only a few books in either dataset feature both White main characters and main characters of color. Arguably, these books may uphold a view of racial/ethnic segregation as a societal norm.

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